Airplane



R. F. HALL April 23, 1929.

AIRPLANE Filed Dec. 8, 1926 nmxrnonrn r. HALL, on ITHAGA, new. YORK.

AIRPLANE.

Application filed December This inventionrelates to certain improvements in air planes; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the .arts involved in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating What I, at present, consider to be the preferred embodiments or mechanical and aerodynamical expressions thereof from among various other forms, arrangements, combinations and constructions of which the inventionis capable Within the spirit and scope thereof.

Where high speed and increased performance are required from air craft, the cross sectional area of air craft bodies are frequently reduced With the consequent'sacrifice of comfort to occupants thereof and reduction in their efficiency in using and operating apparatus carried thereby. This reduction in, cross sectional area or depth of air craft bodies is encountered particularly with such craft designed for military purposes, that is, so-called service air craft. l/Vith air craft bodies of reduced cross sectional area or depth and mounting guns or other ordnance or apparatus for operation by an operator within the body, such operator is necessarily exposed and seriously restricted and hampered in the operation of his guns or other apparatus to such an extent as to seriously detract from the efiiciency and value of such types of air craft bodies.

A primary object of the present invention is to eliminate and materially reduce the above disadvantages arising from air craft bodies of small cross sectional area or depth, by providing a design and arrangement of -the body, whereby additional depth can be given the same for use by the gunner or operator during use of the guns or other apparatus in flight, and the original depth restored upon completion of such use, in order to retain and secure normal designed performance from the body. A further object of the invention is to provide for a projectable and retractable gunners compartment for air craft bodies in order to increase the depth thereof at the gunners station or cockpit to enable the gunner to be protected from the air stream and operate his guns or other apparatus without being hampered or interfered with my the wind pressure, as well as for increasing the depth and capacity of a cockpit for other purposes. A further object of the invention is to provide an efiicient 8, 1926. Serial No. 153,326.

mounting for such a projeetable and retractable compartment together with mechanically simple and efiicient operating mechanism for the compartment readily accessible to an occupant.

A further object resides in a "design and construction of projectable and retractable gunners compartment which will have a high factor of safety and can be embodiedin air craft bodies without weakening or otherwise impairing the operation and function of such bodies. I

With the foregoing and certain other objects and results in view, which other objects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from'the following explanation, the invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and in arrangements of elements as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings in which similar reference characters referred to corresponding parts throughout the several figures thereof:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of an air plane fuselage embodying the projectable and retractable compartment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1 showing the gun mount and gunners cockpit with the compartment of the invention therein Fig. 3 is a detailed vertical section through a portion of the compartment showing the mounting, therefore, and the operating mechanism by which the compartment is projected and retracted.

A possible embodiment and adaptation of a projectable and retractable compartment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings and described herewith as mounted on and installed in the fueslage or body of an air-plane in cooperation with a cockpit or gunners station. However, the illustrated embodiment and its adaptation and installation is shown merely by Way of example and not of limitation; in order to present the principles and various features of the invention for purposes of explanation to enable those skilled in the aeronautical art to understand the same. Obviously, the broad principles and features of the invention are capable of a Wide variety of mechanical and aero-dynamical expression, as well as adaptation to and installation on and with air craft elements generally of the 'body types, among which may be mentioned nacelles, wings of the thick section type,

, pontoons, and the like, where similar or equivalent conditions vare present and the advantages and results from the use of the invention may be desired.

The example of the invention presented herein is shown as applied to and embodied in an air plane fuselage 10 of the usual or any other desired typein which, for purposes of speed and performance, the cross sectional area or depth of the fuselage or body, is relatively small or reduced. is provided with the usual cockpit or gunners station 11, opening through the upper or top wall'of the fuselage and having-the gun mount of the ring type 12 mounted on and.

around the cockpit opening so that a gunner stationed in the cockpit is located and stands within the gun mount for operating a gun carried thereby, as will be familiar to those skilled in this art. v With a fuselage 10 of the reduced cross sectional area or small depth,

the bottom of the fuselage and extending longitudinally thereof across and beneath the cockpit 11, and the upper openingthereof with the gun mount 12, If desired, the gunners floor 15 can terminate at one side of the cockpit in the upturnedend portion 15. The gunners floor 15 is vprovided and formed with an opening 16 therethrough below and in line with theupper cockpit opening and the gun mount 12, as will be readily apparent from Figs. 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. 1

In the lower wall or bottom 14 of the fuselage 10, an opening is formed beneath, and in line with the opening 16 in the gunners floor" 15, and a series of supporting and guiding columns or rods 17 are fixed in vertically disposed position between the bottom wall 14 and the gunners floor 15, with these columns or rods 17, depending outwardly and downwardly a distance below and beneath the bottom 14 of the fuselage 10. v

The columns or rods 17 form supports and -guides for a gunners floor compartment. which is normally disposed retracted within the fuselage '10 between, and forming a part of the bottom wall 14, and the gunners fixed floor 15'. In the example hereof, this gunners floor compartment 18 is in the form of an The fuselage 10" open top shell or casing having the bottom 7 wall 19 providing the floor for receiving and upon which a gunner or other occupant of the the supporting and guiding columns 17, re-

spectively. Lower supporting bearings 21 "are fixed to and extend laterally from-the lower end of the compartment 19 and. receive and slidably fit over the depending portions of the columns or rods 17, beneath and on the exterior of the bottom wall 14 of fuselage 10. Thus the gunnersfloor compartment 18 is supported on and between the column 17 and is slidable longitudinally thereon inwardly and outwardly, to and from retracted and projected position'with respect to the fuselage 10. Coiled expansion springs 22, are

mountedon rods or columns 17 within the fuselage 1O betweenthe upper supporting bearings 20 of the. compartment, and the bottom wall 14 of the fuselage. These springs 22, normally retract the gunners compartment to position within the fuselage as shown by Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

-From normal retracted position the gunners floor compartment 18, is slidable or proj ectable outwardly on rods 17 a ainst the tension of coiled springs 22, to a position extending outwardly from and downwardly, below the fuselage, such as indicated injdotted outline in Fig. 3. The outer ends of rods 17 are provided with the adjustable stop members 23' for engaging the supportingbearings 21 of the gunners compartment and thesestops 23 are provided with suitable shock obsorbers or pads 24, which can be formed of rubberof any other desire'd'material, to lessen the jar of impact. between bearings 21 and the stops when the compartment is projected. The adjustable stops 23 can be in the form of a headed shank or plug extending upwardly into the rods 17 with a suitable series of spaced bores through the shanks of the stops and the rods '17, for receiving a removable pin 26 to hold the stops in the desired adjusted position, all of which is clearly indicated and shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Suitable mechanism-is provided for holding and securing the floor compartment 18, re-

ble mechanical expression of such mechanism -is'disclosed herewith and particularly in Fig} 3 of the drawings to which reference is now had.. A lever 27 is pivotally mounted at 28 to one of the lower supporting bearings 21, preferably the forward one, and this lever extends upwardly a distance into the compartment 18 through a suitable opening in the bottom wall or floor 19 thereof. This lever 27 is provided with a finger 29, extending forwardly and outwardly from the pivot 28 to the ad acent column or rod 17 for engagement with the wall thereof. A spring 30 is deposed and mounted between the lever 27 and the bottom wall or floor 19 of the compartment and this springnormally forces lever 27 downwardly to swing finger 29 into engagement with the column or rod 17. The side of the rod or column 17 engaged by finger 29, is provided with a series of spaced notches or openings 31, adapted to receive and be engaged by finger 29 to lock compartment 18 in the desired positions, on the rods 17 A guard 32 is provided within the compartment 18 above and extending over and across the upper end of lever 27 within the compartment, in order to prevent accidental striking and operation of lever 27 by an occupant of compartment 18. The lever 27 is adapted for operation by the foot of a gunner or other occupant of the floor compartment to release the compartment for projection or retraction to and from the fuselage 10, as will be more fully explainedhereinafter.

In operation and use, the gunners floor compartment as above described, mounted and installed within the fuselage or body 10, is normally maintained in its retracted position as shownin Fig. 1, entirely within the fuselage 10 with its bottom wall or floor 19 in line with and forming a portion of the hottom wall 14 of the fuselage. Now,'if an occupant of the cockpit 11, such as a gunner, desires to operate a gun mounted on and carried by the gun mount 12 at the upper open endof the cockpit, in order to increase the depth of thecockpit and to thus reduce the extent of the gunners body, exposed to air pressures, the lever 27 within the compartment 18, is pressed forwardly oroutwardly by the gunners foot, which releases or withdraws finger 29 from engagement with the retracted position notch 31 of the rod 17. With finger 29 disengaged, the gunner can then exert upon the bottom wall 19 of the compartment to force the compartment outwardly and downwardl on the rods 17 against coiled springs 22 to t e desired extent of projection, and then permit finger 29 to engage with the desired notch 31to thus hold the compartment in projectedposition. It will be here noted that in projection of the compartment, springs 22 absorb the shock of projection with a heavy weight. The compartment in projected position forms a downward and outward continuation of the cockpit 11 to increase the ,depth thereof and reduce the exposed portions of the gunner or other operator or can 'be within the cockpit. Upon completion retracted or projected,

of the use of the the lever 27 is again operated to disengage rods 17 and the weight of the gun-- ner or occupant is withdrawn from the compartment 18 in order to permit the. coiled springs 22 to withdraw or contract the compartment to normal position housed and confined within the fuselage 10, the retracted or withdrawn position of the compartment returning the fuselage to its normal uninterrupted stream line contour and area. In the foregoing manner, and by means of the invention as described, the use of the cross sectional area or 'small depth air craft bodies, is made possible, while eliminating the series disadvantages to gunners and other occupants of cockpits in the operation and use of apparatus from-such cockpits during flight.

It will here be noted that in projected position of the gunners compartment, the side walls thereof, the cockpit and fuselage, while, if desiredor found expedient, thegunners compartment can be formed of stream lined contour or section, so that in its projected position the head resistance thereof, is reduced to a minimum.

he gunners floor compartment can be formed of any desired material and if desired or found expedient, particularly in craft for military operations, can be constructed of armoured material.

The invention is here disclosed and described as installed in the cockpit of an air plane fuselage for use of a gunner in the operation of guns mounted at the cockpit, but obviously the compartment can be used to increase the cockpit space or. the cargo space of air craft bodies, as will be readily under stood. Further, if desired, the compartment can be employed to house and protect apparatus employed on air craft, such for example as air craft cameras, so that with the apparatus out of use, the compartment can be retracted and when it is desired to use the same, the compartment can be projected; or, further to house suflicient space in the cockpit or fuselage, by projecting and leaving the compartment in projected position.

The invention contemplates and includes the mounting and installation of a plurality of retractable and projectable gunners compartments, on a single body or air craft, as well as the installation and mounting on and for use with wings of the relatively thick section types. If desired, various other operating mechanisms can be provided for projecting and retracting the compartment, which mechanisms can be hand, foot or power operated without going beyond the limits of the invention.

The term air craft bodies. as employed herein and in the appended claims, is used in a broad generic sense to include any and all air craft elements of thetypeembodying apparatus where there is not.

prevent entry or rush of air into the general characteristics of an air craft body, and with which elements it may be desired to employ a gunners compartment embodying the principles of the invention.

It is also evident that various other changes, variations, modificatioii s and substitutitions might be resorted to without parting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest; manner legally possible, what I claimand desire to secure-by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

-1. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, a compartment within the cockpit and projectable outwardly from the body to increase the cockpit depth, said compartment retractable to normal position within the body, and foot controlled means for locking the compartment in projected and "retracted positions, said means operable from the compartment by the foot of an occupant therein.

2. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, an equipment mount at the upper end of the cockpit, a floor compartment at the lower en'd of the cockpit, the said compartment projectable outwardly'to increase the cross sectional area of the body, and retractable inwardly to normal position within the cockpit unobstructing the same laterally and upwardly to permit of operation of said mount.

3. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, a floor within the body spaced above the lower wall thereof extending across the cockpit, and an open top projectable floor compartment between the lower wall and body floor within the cockpit, said floor open above said floor compartment. a

4. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, a floor within the body spaced above the lower wall thereof extending across the cockpit, an open top floor compartment within the cockpit betweenthe body lower wall having an opening therethrough within the v cockpit above the floor compartment and said compartment projectable outwardly from the body to increase thecockpit depth, and retractable to normal position within the body. 5. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, -a floor compartment forming the bottom wall of the cockpit and projectable outwardly from the body to increase the cockpit depth, said compartment retractible to normal position within the body, means for locking the compartment in projected and retracted positions, a foot controlled member accessible from within the compartment for actuating said locking means, and guard means for said foot controlled member to prevent accidental operation thereof by the foot of an occupant of the compartment.

6. In an aircraft body having a cockpit therein, a floor Within the body' spaced above the lower wall thereof extending to the cockpit, an open top floor compartment Within the cockpit between the'lower body wall and floor with the compartment forming a portion of the body lower wall, members -in the body spaced around the compartment'and depending downwardly through the body,

outwardly a distance beyond the body wall, said compartment slidably mounted on and carried by said members, expansion springs on said members between the body Wall and inner end mounting of said compartment on the members, the said compartment projectable outwardly from the body on said members against the tension of said springs and retractible inwardly to normal position by the, action of the springs, and means for locking said'compartment in projected and retr'acted positions.

Signed at Ithaca, New York, this 2nd day of December, 1926. c

' RANDOLPH F. HALL. 

